| The Family of Isaiah Smith of Milton Co, GA and Etowah Co, AL 1854-1917 |
| Isaiah Smith, son of Henry and Elizabeth Smith, was born in Apr 1954 in GA, possibly in Forsyth Co. He is shown, living with his parents on the 1860 and 1870 censuses of Milton Co, GA. On the 1880 Milton Co, GA census, Isaiah is shown living near his parents in Newtown and he's a husband and father. He married Martha A. _____, about 1873. Martha was born abt 1858 in GA. Martha obviously died between between Jun 1889 when her youngest child was born and Feb 1893 when Isaiah remarried. I have not found a record for the marriage of Isaiah and Martha, nor a date of death or place of burial for Martha. In a book about the history of Mount Pisgah United Methodist Church of Alpharetta, Fulton Co (but previously Milton Co), GA, A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS, by Clarence Martin, there are references to the membership of an "Isaiah Smith" and an "M.A.Smith." The reference to Isaiah, dated Sept 1894 indicated that he was no longer a member and had "gone to the Baptists." There is no date or note for the listing of M.A. Smith, but it may be Martha A. I have found no other Smith as yet that could also fit the listing. On 9 Feb 1893 in Forsyth Co, GA, Isaiah married Elizabeth Agnes James. Elizabeth was born in Aug 1872 in GA. She was the daughter of David Little James and Lucy/Lecia Eveline Castleberry. Isaiah and Elizabeth are listed on the 1900 Etowah Co, AL census, living in Reece City. By 1907, the family had "moved to town" and were living in what was known as the "Mill Village" in Alabama City, Etowah Co, AL, a community built for the employees of the Dwight Cotton Mill, which employed a large percentage of the population in that era. During that time, Isaiah's occupation, which had previously been listed as Farmer, was now shown as Drayman. A 1907 listing in the Gadsden City Directory lists Isaiah's residence as 20 Marston Ave, Alabama City. A listing in the 1912-1913 Gadsden City Directory has the following listing: "Smith, Isaiah (Lizzie), drayman, 8 Minnehaha Dell" A listing for him is also found in the 1914-1915 Gadsden City Directory: "Smith, Isaiah (Elizabeth), lab., 15 Hinsdale Ave" In 1915, Isaiah became ill with a kidney disease known as Bright's Disease and he died of complications of this disease on 27 Feb 1917 at their home on North Summersworth in Alabama City. His death was reported in THE GADSDEN EVENING JOURNAL on Wednesday, 28 Feb 1917: ALABAMA CITY Isaah (sic) Smith died at 7 o'clock Tuesday morning at his home on North Summersworth Street. He suffered with paralysis. He was 67 years old and is survived by his wife and sixteen children. He was a member of the Methodist church. Burial will be at Bethany cemetary Thursday. W.H. Smith of Woodstock, GA and J.H. Smith of Norcross, GA are here to attend the burial of their father, Isaah Smith. Mrs. E.J. Vaughn of Norfolk is here to attend the funeral of her brother. After Isaiah's death, Elizabeth continued to live in and raised her children in Alabama City. She died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. O.P. (Evie) Parker, at 1001 Sansom Ave, Alabama City, on 7 Aug 1943. On 8 and 9 Aug 1943, three items relating to this family were found in THE GADSDEN TIMES: 8 Aug 1943, page 6 PERSONALS The Rev and Mrs. J.H. Smith, Winnie Lee and Dean Oliver have returned to Lula, GA after visiting with Mr and Mrs E.H.Smith and other relatives in Alabama City. 8 Aug 1943 MRS. SMITH DIES IN ALABAMA CITY Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, 76, of 1001 Sansom Ave, Alabama City, died at the residence about 1 o'clock Saturday afternoon. The funeral arrangements will be announced later by Brown- Service. Mrs. Smith is survived by eight daughters, Mrs. Louis Reed of Alabama City, Mrs. O.P. Parker of Alabama City, Mrs. John Gray of Summerville, GA, Mrs. M.M. Harris of Alabama City, Mrs. Wiley Bellamy of Atlanta, Mrs. Joe Bright, Mrs. J.M. Skulley and Mrs. Horace Tolbert, all of Alabama City; six sons, Theo Smith of Brooklyn, MD, Charlie Smith, U.S. Army overseas, E.H. Smith and Homer Smith, both of Alabama City, John Smith of Summerville, GA and Harvey Smith, Georgia; five sisters, Mrs. Daise Mathis, Atlanta, Mrs, Willie McWhorter, Atlanta, Mrs. Rose Hughes of Cummings, GA, Mrs. Mary Harris of South GA and Mrs. Harvey Smith of Georgia; one brother, Dolphus Jones of Attalla; 44 grandchildren and 15 great- grandchildren. Monday, 9 Aug 1943 MRS. SMITH RITES PLANNED TUESDAY Funeral services for Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, 76, who died at her home, 1001 Sansom Avenue, Alabama City, Saturday afternoon, will be held at 4 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at Dwight Baptist Church, the Rev Paul E. Dixon officiating. Interment, directed by Brown-Service will follow at Forrest Cemetary. Mrs. Smith, who had lived in Alabama City for the past 40 years, was well known and respected in this section. She was a member of Dwight Baptist Church and a good church worker. Active palbearers will include Harvey Mount, A.D. Wiggins, Clyde Wheeler, Allen Harris, Marvin Nance and R.H. Garner. Honorary, Dave McCleskey, R.A. Leath, Dr. G.E. Silvey, Dr Alfred Carraway, Bill Smith, Jeffie Isbell, Homer Carroll, Hap Nun, Tom Smith and Charley Pitts. |
| The Children of Isaiah and Martha Smith |
| 1) Rev. William H. Smith, born about 1874 in MIlton Co, GA, married Laura A. Hopkins in 1892 in Milton Co, GA, died before 1943. Laura was born about 1874 in GA. The family is shown on the 1900 and 1910 censuses of Milton Co, GA. They reportedly lived in Woodstock, GA in 1917, but I have no record of the family past that date. He must have passed away by 1943, as he is not listed in Elizabeth's obituary. William and Laura had at least 3 children: Simeon S. Smith, born May 1895 GA Linton M. Smith, born Oct 1897 GA Lewis Smith, born abt 1908 GA |
| 2) Rev. James Harvey Smith, born in 22 Jul 1875 in Milton Co, GA, probably Milton Co, married Cora B. (or G) James in 1904 in Milton Co, GA and died after 1949. Cora, who was a sister to Harvey's step-mother, Elizabeth, was born 1 Jul 1885 in Forsyth Co, GA and died 1 Dec 1951 in Hall Co, GA. She is buried at Red Wine Cemetery in Hall Co, GA. The family is shown on the 1910 and 1920 censuses of Milton Co, GA, although they reportedly lived in Norcross (Gwinnett Co) in 1917. Harvey was pastor of Lula Methodist Church in Lula, Hall Co, GA from 1938-1943 and again from 1948-1949. Harvey and Cora had two children: Rev. James Paul Smith, born about 1905, probably in Milton Co, GA, married Bertie Mae_____ Annie Mae Smith, born 27 Feb 1911, probably in Milton Co, GA, married Bob Hughes, died 14 Dec 1996 in Gainesville, Hall Co, GA. Annie Mae and Bob lived in Chicopee, Hall Co, GA |
| 3) Mary F. Smith, born Apr 1880, probably in Milton Co, GA, married John L. Smith 21 Dec 1896 in Forsyth Co, GA, died before 1943. In 1900, Mary is shown living with her father and stepmother in Etowah Co, AL and census data shows that she's been married for 3 years, has had one child, with no living children. I have no post-1900 data on Mary and/or John Smith. |
| 5) Emma J. Smith, born Oct 1884, probably in Milton Co, GA. The only record I have of Emma is the 1900 Etowah Co, AL census which shows her living with her father and stepmother. She was PROBABLY still alive in 1943, but I have yet to be able to match her to one of the 8 listed daughters in Elizabeth's obituary. |
| 6) John F. Smith, born Aug 1887, probably in Milton Co, GA. John is shown on the 1900 Etowah Co, AL census with his father and stepmother, in 1910, he is listed on the Milton Co, GA census, living in the household with brother, Elijah & family, and is listed as living in Summerville, GA in 1943 when Elizabeth died. There is a Troup Co, GA death record that is probably John's. It reflects that he died 4 Oct 1966. |
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| 7) Homer Marvin Smith, born 5 June 1889 in GA, probably Milton Co, served in WWI and was injured, died 1 Oct 1945 in Etowah Co, AL, buried at Bethany Cemetary, Reece City, Etowah Co, AL. Homer was never married. |
| 4) Elijah Hampton Smith, born 15 Aug 1882 in Newtown, Milton Co, GA, married Susie Eldora Riley abt 1906, probably in Etowah Co, AL, died 10 Oct 1958 in Etowah Co, AL. Susie, daughter of James William Riley and Mary Jane Pence, was born 19 Apr 1887 in Etowah Co, AL and died 8 Mar 1963 in Etowah Co, AL. Buried at Bethany Cemetary in Reece City, Etowah Co, AL. They were the parents of five children: Infant Smith, born and died 1907, buried at Bethany Lillie Belle Smith, born 22 Apr 1908 in Etowah Co, AL, married Walter A. Nipper 4 Jan 1930 in Etowah Co, AL, died 6 Jan 1961 in Huntsville, Madison Co, AL, buried at Forrest Cemetary, Gadsden, Etowah Co, AL. Willie Henry Smith, Sr, born 1911 in Etowah Co, AL, married 1) Margaret Lowe Riddle 8 Jun 1929 in Etowah Co, AL, 2) Audrey Lorraine Lipscomb, died 30 Mar 1983 in Gadsden, Etowah Co, AL, buried at Forrest Cemetary, Gadsden, Etowah Co, AL. Thelma Alma Smith, born 29 Sept 1919 in Etowah Co, AL, married Joseph C. Escalante 10 Apr 1960, died 28 Feb 1995 in Pittsburg, Crawford Co, KS, buried at Highland Park Cemetary, Crawford Co, KS. Velma A. Smith, born abt 1914 in Etowah Co, AL, married Morris Nelson "Mac" McClendon. |
| The Children of Isaiah Smith and Elizabeth James |
| 1) Lena Smith, b. Mar 1895, GA Lena is listed on the 1900 census at age 5 and the 1910 census at age 16. 2) Evie Iola Smith, b. Oct 1896, GA Evie married Oscar P. Parker after 1930. Oscar died Jan 1938 in Etowah Co, AL. According to the 1920 and 1930 censuses, Evie was employed as a spinner at the cotton mill. A listing in the 1943 Gadsden (AL) City Directory lists her resodence as 1001 Sansom Ave where I'm told she lived until her death in Oct 1988. Both Evie and Oscar are buried at Forrest Cemetery in Gadsden, Etowah Co, AL. 3) Naomi Smith, b. 28 Jul 1898, GA Naomi married John Gray, and according to her mother's obituary, lived in Troup Co, GA in 1943. Naomi died 22 Apr 1987 in Troup Co, GA and is buried at Hogansville Cemetery in Troup Co, GA. 4) Ada Louise Smith, b. 11 May 1900, Etowah Co, AL Ada married 1) _____Neeley and he died before 1930. She married 2) Martin McKinley Harris abt 1831. Martin was born 28 Oct 1894 in Etowah Co, AL and died 11 Dec 1951 in Etowah Co, AL. Ada died in 1989 in Tampa, Hillsborough Co, FL. A listing in the 1947-48 Gadsden (AL) City Directory shows that they lived at they lived at 16 Gray Street in Alabama City when Martin was employed as a machine operator at the steel plant. 5) Pearl Smith, b. abt 1902, GA (?) Pearl is listed on the 1910 census at age 8 and on the 1920 census at age 17, working as a spinner at the local cotton mill. 6) Flora J. Smith, b. abt 1904, Etowah Co, AL Flora is listed on the 1910 census at age 6 and on the 1920 census at age 15. 7) Theo Smith, b. abt 1906, Etowah Co, AL Theo is listed on the 1910 census at age 4 and on the 1920 census at age 14. 8) Charles Smith, b. abt 1911, Etowah Co, AL Charles is listed on the 1920 census at age 9 and on the 1930 census at age 19, when he was employed at a market. The 1935-36 Gadsden (AL) City directory listed Charlie and wife, Deanie Bell _____, at 34 12th Street in Alabama City, when he was employed by the cotton mill. In later years, he resumed working in the grocery business and lived in the Atlanta area. He died in 1961. He is buried at Forrest Cemetery in Gadsden, Etowah Co, AL. 9) Vera Smith, b. abt 1912, Etowah Co, AL Vera is listed on the 1920 census at age 12 and the 1930 census at age 17, when she was working as a spinner at the cotton mill. She married James M. Skulley after 1930. James was born about 1909 in Tennessee. The 1947-48 Gadsden (AL) City Directory lists that they lived at 1025 1/2 Christopher Street in Gadsden and that James was a driver for Cresent Cabs. James died in Jul 1966 in a Veteran's Hospital, probably in Columbia, SC, where they lived. Vera died 7 Feb 1986. Both are buried at Forrest Cemetery in Gadsden, Etowah Co, AL. 10) Ira C. Smith, b. abt 1915, Etowah Co, AL Ira is listed on the 1920 census at age 5 and on the 1930 census at age 16, when she worked at the cotton mill as a spinner. She married Charles Horace Tolbert. He was born about 1908. A 1947-48 listing in the Gadsden (AL) City Directory lists their residence at 1001 Sansom Ave and that Horace was an employee of Dwight Manufacturing Co (the cotton mill). According to his obituary, he was a native of Dekalb Co, AL and a resident of Etowah Co, AL most of his life, but at the time of his death, the result of a car accident, 19 Nov 1971, he was a resident of Calhoun Co, AL. He is buried at Forrest Cemetery in Gadsden, Etowah Co, AL. |